Bobcats wear Yellow for Greg

Apr 23, 2013

BANNER ELK, N.C. --- The Lees-McRae College men's and women's volleyball program has reached out to help another member of the volleyball community in need, making a generous donation to help aspiring high school volleyball player Greg Von Rueden in his fight against cancer.

Von Rueden is a 14-year-old Marquette University High School freshman who has spent the past year battling bone cancer (osteosarcoma). An accomplished volleyball player, Greg's West Allis Lightning club team had won a national championship in 2010 and was preparing to go for another title last summer when he learned the heartbreaking news of his diagnosis.

"Coming from Milwaukee, I was aware of what Greg and his family was going through," said head coach Dave Schmidlin. "What started out as a regional outreach for a young man has caught fire and spread nation-wide. We have all been affected by cancer in some way."

Greg spent this past year courageously facing surgery and chemotherapy, and finally received the news he'd beaten cancer on March 19, 2013. Sadly, just two weeks later, on Good Friday, Greg and his family received the devastating news that his cancer had returned.

After doing a bone scan and MRI, they found a mass above Greg's knee. Surgery was scheduled to remove the tumor, but the doctors were unable to operate. The cancer had spread to other cells in an extremely rare case.

Throughout this difficult journey, Greg's friends and family have come together and supported him by going "Yellow for Greg" and reminding him that "No one fights alone."

The Bobcats have been happy to join Greg in his fight, donating $100 to Greg and his family to help pay for his medical bills and other costs associated with his recovery. Funds For Greg Von Rueden & Family has been a tremendous success thus far, raising over $33,000 as donations continue to pour in.

"When I brought this to both the men's and women's teams attention, they were more than eager to reach out and offer their support," praised Schmidlin. "They all chipped in and made a donation and posed for the picture. It's a small gesture, but we wanted to do our part."